Razer DeathStalker Review

With the DeathStalker Ultimate Gaming Keyboard, Razer took their popular keyboard design and combined it with a touchscreen LCD panel for use with their customizable Switchblade software. This keyboard is no joke…

First Impressions

“This keyboard reminds me of the Matrix…”

Along with the Switchblade interface, the keyboard also comes with Razer’s cloud-based optimization and syncing tool, Razer Synapse 2.0. This feature lets you create profiles for any of your Razer devices. You can also create a backup of your recorded macros, remapped key functions, and the settings for your favourite backlight colour. These settings can be saved and used on any other computer once you sign into the Synapse account. Packaged with Synapse is the Switchblade interface, making it quite easy to set up DeathStalker on another system as well. Performance wise, the chicklet keyboard keys may not offer the same response and comfort of a mechanical keyboard, but it plays out just fine in the heat of battle. And the Switchable interface adds a new element to gameplay, with game data and macro recording available on-the-go, in a non-interfering manner. In spite of a few glitches here and there, the DeathStalker still is a solid performer.

Distinctive features of the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate Gaming Keyboard

While many of the gaming keyboards today use mechanical switches, in case of the Razer DeathStalker Ultimate Gaming Keyboard, chicklet keys are used with scissor switches– the same type used on the Razer Blade laptop. As compared to plain membrane switches, this one gives a better typing feel, however, it’s not in the same league as the mechanical switches. The chicklet style keys are backlit; with options available to change the colour as well. The one issue with the backlighting is that it is inconsistent, and it doesn’t light up or highlight the keys very well under normal conditions. This makes the DeathStalker’s keys a bit difficult to read. With a built-in wrist rest, game ergonomics are taken care of. An important point to note here is that, the DeathStalker Ultimate has no conventional 10-key number pad. Instead in its place is the Razer’s Switchblade interface.

Switchblade UI And Touch Screen:

There are quite a few apps loaded with the Switchblade UI, along with the basic touchpad functionality. The switchblade touch screen can double up as a 10-key numeric keypad, switching between the two with the press of a button. It also acts a mobile version of the popular social media and video websites of the world such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. A clock and a stopwatch are the other apps included in it, so are buttons to record macros and take screenshots.

Pros Vs Cons

Pros:

The Switchblade UI is awesome

Adjustable multi-color backlight

Razer synapse 2.0

Razer Switchblade UI apps

Cons:

Scissor switches are kinda lame

Looks cheap

Not as impressive as other gaming keyboards

Performance wise, the chicklet keyboard keys may not offer the same response and comfort of a mechanical keyboard, but it plays out just fine in the heat of battle. The Switchblade interface adds a new element to gameplay, with the ability to share game data on the go, in a non-interfering manner. In spite of a few glitches here and there, the DeathStalker Ultimate Gaming Keyboard is still one of the best gaming keyboards that I’ve found and is a solid performer.